Lint filter

ABSTRACT

A LINT FILTER FOR MOUNTING UPRIGHT IN A TUB, SINK OR THE LIKE BASIN BY INSERTION INTO STANDARD SIZED DRAIN OPENINGS WHICH HAS AN ELONGATED BODY PORTION WITH A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY ELONGATED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RADIAL FINS INCREASING IN DIAMETER FROM A LEVEL BELOW THE OPEN TOP OF THE TUBE AND PROJECTING BEYOND THE BOTTOM END OF THE TUBE THEREBY PROVIDING DRAIN SLOTS THEREBETWEEN AND BEING PROGRESSIVELY STEPPED AT THEIR BOTTOM ENDS TO FIT A WIDE RANGE OF DRAIN SIZES.

Oct. 3, 1972 D. J. DE FANO m1 3,696,033

LINT FILTER Filed June 1, 1971 United States Patent 01 Patented Oct. 3, 1972 3,696,033 LINT FILTER Dominic J. De Fano, Palatine, and Robert I. Kallman, Elburn, 111., assignors to De Fano Kallman Design, Inc., Oak Park, Ill.

Filed June 1, 1971, Ser. No. 148,425 Int. Cl. B01d 23/00 US. Cl. 210-460 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lint filter for mounting upright in a tub, sink or the like basin by insertion into standard sized drain openings which has an elongated body portion with a plurality of axially elongated circumferentially spaced radial fins increasing in diameter from a level below the open top of the tube and projecting beyond the bottom end of the tube thereby providing drain slots therebetween and being progressively stepped at their bottom ends to fit a wide range of drain sizes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to drain filters and more particularly to a slotted finned tube having a bottom end insertable in a basin drain opening to mount the tube upright in a basin for trapping lint from water draining from the basin without clogging the drain opening.

Prior art Automatic washing machines, especially when used in domestic environments, are often drained to a sink, tub or other basin which in turn has a drain opening connected to the sewage system. Merely allowing the discharge from the washing machine to flow freely into the sink drain can result in a clogged sink or sewage system due to lint buildup downstream of the drain.

While many laundry appliances attempt to overcome this problem by providing lint filters within the confines of the appliance, such filters are not 100% efiicient. Therefore, the discharge from the appliance still contains a quantity of suspended lint.

Attempting to provide a normal drain filter in the sink drain can result in a clogged filter which will fail to pass the discharge water through the drain. Inasmuch as the discharge water is often quite hot, extreme discomfort can occur due to the necessity of reaching into the stopped up sink to remove the lint from the filter.

Additionally, prior known filters or traps have generally failed to provide an adequate method of removing lint from the filter. Further, many prior art filters are not usable over the entire range of standard drain sizes and must be individually purchased for a given drain size in order to adequately cover the drain while being insertable therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Our invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, and provides a lint filter which is universally adaptable to most drain sizes and which is easily insertable and removable. Further, the filter of our invention resists clogging by providing a large drain surface while at the same time effectively filtering lint out of the flow. In addition, a safety overflow is provided in the event that the filter itself should become clogged.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the filter comprises a tube having top and bottom ends. Intermediate the ends, a plurality of circumferentially spaced fins project from the outer diameter of the tube. The fins increase in diameter axially of the tube towards the bottom there of. The fins extend axially beyond the bottom of the tube a given distance continuing to increase in outer diameter while maintaining a constant inner diameter. Beyond the end of the tube, the spaces between the fins are open to the interior thereof to provide drainage. The fins terminate at the bottom of the filter in a series of angular steps reducing the diameter in proportion to standard drain sizes. The steps are preferably of a diameter slightly larger than the standard drain sizes, and the filter is preferably manufactured of a plastic or the like material having resilient properties whereby the individual fins are radially constricted when the unit is pressed into the drain, thereby assuring a firm friction grip.

As the water drains through the slot between the fins, the lint is filtered and adheres to the exterior of the fins, forming a mat around the body of the filter.

After the sink or other basin has been drained, the matted lint is easily removed due to the taper of the outer diameter of the fins which allows the mat to be easily slid off of the unit axially towards the top thereof. Alternate- 1y, since the matted lint is easily spread, the tube may be grasped at the small cylindrical end and the mat slid oil of the large bottom end of the filter.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a lint filter for mounting upright in a basin by insertion of its bottom end in the basin drain opening and providing lint collecting fins and elongated drain slots.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a drain filter tube with lint collecting fins.

It is another and more specific object of this invention to provide a drain filter having a tubular body portion from the outer diameter of which projects a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart radial fins which also depend axially beyond the tubular portion and have ends insertable into a drain.

It is another and specific object of this invention to provide a lint filter adaptable for use with a plurality of different sized drains.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a lint filter having a tubular body portion having axial ends with a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart fins projecting from the body portion intermediate the ends thereof and continuing towards the bottom end, the fins increasing in diameter frusto-conically and extending beyond the axial end of the tube, the axial end of the fins being stepped to provide varying diameters for insertion into varying sized drains, the fins functioning as a lint filter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the lint filter of this invention with some of the fins omitted;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the filter of FIG. 1 taken along the lines IIII, illustrated as being inserted in a drain opening;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the filter of FIG. 1 taken along the lines IIIIII;

:FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 taken along the lines IVIV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the lower end of a modified lint filter of this invention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the lines VI-VI of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates a side plan view of the lint filter of our invention.

From the top 11 to the bottom 12 thereof, the filter has an outer diameter which in the upper portion 13 is generally tubular, but which approximately one-third of the way down 14 begins to increase in diameter frusto-conically to a point 15 spaced from the bottom 12 thereof. At that point, the outer diameter reduces in a series of angled terraces 17, 18 and 19 spaced apart by angled lands 20, 21 and 22.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the line filter of our invention comprises a tubular portion 25 and a finned portion 26.

The tubular portion 25 has a top 11a and a bottom 27. Approximately halfway down the tubular portion intermediate the ends 11a, 27, at the point 14, the fins originate. These fins 30 extend outwardly from the tubular portion and are circumferentially spaced around the body. The fins 30 are preferably formed of the same material as the tube portion 25, and are closely spaced together providing spaces 31 therebetween.

The fins 30 continue to extend beyond the bottom 27 of the tube to the bottom 12 of the filter 10. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, from the point 14 to the bottom 27 to the tubular portion, the fins are closed at their inner diameter by the wall of the tubular portion 25.

As best illustrated in FIG. 4, axially beyond the end 27 of the tubular portion, the fins 30 are open at their inner diameter to the central cavity 33.

In a preferred embodiment, the fins may for example extend over 5 of arc and be placed 5 apart, thereby providing 36 and 36 spaces 31 around the circumference of the filter 10.

At the bottom portion 35, the fins are reduced in diameter inwardly through the above mentioned terraces and angled lands providing a series of steps to a final diameter 36 at the bottom 12 which corresponds to the minimum diameter of standard drain sizes. Preferably, each of the terraces is sized to seat on the mouth of a standard drain size receiving the underlying tapered land which fits snugly in the drain opening. Each land diameter is preferably oversized slightly so as to require an interference fit when inserted into the drain.

In order to allow this, the lint filter 10 is preferably made of a material having a resilient characteristic so as to be squeezed into the drain and retained therein due to the resilient nature of the material. Preferred materials are plastics of the polyolefine, polyamide, polyimide, and fluorocarbon types. Nylon, Delrin and Teflon are satisfactory. These materials are preferred because of their flexibility and resiliency as Well as their heat-resistant nature. Further, they are generally inert to most common soaps and detergents and their self-lubricating texture aids in seating the filter in the drain and in the removal of the matted lint from the filter.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, because most drain openings 40 exiting from standard sinks and basins 41 have a curved or radius bend entrance 42, the tops or ledges 17, 18, 19 of the terraces or steps are preferbaly formed at an angle to the perpendicular. Additionally, for ease of insertion, the lands 20, 21, 22 are preferably formed at an angle from the axis such as by way of example, 10. This aids in insertion into the drain.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 three sets of terraces 17, 18 and 19 and three sets of lands 20, 21 and 22 are provided. However, in the modified embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, one of the terraces serves a dual function of seating on the mouth of several different sized drain openings by providing under this terrace a first set of fin ends extending radially beyond and alternating with a second set of fin ends, thereby providing two concentric lands of different diameters for fitting different sized drain openings.

The fin ends with the larger diameter are resiliently contracted in a small drain size to permit the smaller fin ends to become the seating lands.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the modified filter 10a has the same constituent parts as the filter 10 marked with the same reference numerals. It will be noted that the same angled terrace 17 and the same angled top land 20 is provided at the large diameter end 15 of the frustoconical portion of the tube. However, a double width terrace 34 is provided under the land 20 and two sets of different diameter lands 35 and 36 depend in angled relation under the terrace 34. The larger diameter lands 35 are provided by the outer edges of fins 30 which extend beyond the outer edges of alternate fins 30 cut back to form the lands 36 as shown in FIG. 6. The bottom ends of the lands 35 are bevelled back at 37 at the bottom edge 12 of the filter 10a.

When the device 10a is inserted in a drain opening of a size receiving the lands 35, the outer portion of the double width terrace 34 will seat on the bell mouth entrance to this drain opening. However, when the drain size is smaller than the diameter of the lands 35 the bevelled ends 37 of these lands will enter the smaller size drain opening causing the fins 30 with the land edges 35 to be squeezed radially inward to the same diameter as the land 36 of the remaining fins. Then, the inner portion of the terrace 34 will fit on the bell mouth entrance to this smaller sized drain. In this arrangement, therefore, two sets of terraces 17 and 24 replaced the three sets 17, 18 and 19 of the lint filter 10.

As the basin or sink fills with the discharged water from the laundry appliance, the water will pass through the spaces 31 into the central portion 33 of the lint filter, thence into the drain 40. Due to the close spacing of the fins 30, lint particles will abut the outer diameter of the fins and be maintained thereon. Because of the distance between the bottom 27 of the tubular portion 15 and the bottom 12 of the fins, which is preferably one-quarter or more of the length of the filter 10, as lint accumulates towards the bottom of the filter, the water level may rise however free draining is provided for because of the axial length of the spaces 31. Should the entire bottom portion become clogged, or should the flow of water into the sink be larger than the openings can handle, the top 11 of the tubular portion 15 is open at 38 to the central cavity 33 providing an overflow.

Stability is added to the filter by the provision of the tubular portion 25 and particularly by the fact that it extends beyond the initial point 14 of the ribs. This aids to maintain stiffness in the portions of the fins below the end 27 so as to keep the filter in the drain. Additionally, due to the continuous nature of the fins from the point 14 to the bottom 12, the normal whirlpool effect will aid in bringing lint into contact with the fin surfaces.

It can therefore be seen from the above that our invention provides for a novel lint filter having a tubular body portion from which project in a radial direction a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart fins, the fins extending beyond the axial end of the tube defining spaces therebetween open to a central cavity. The fins terminate in a series of stepped terraces which are dimensioned for interference fit with standard drain sizes.

Although we have herein set forth our invention with respect to certain specific principles and details thereof, it will be understood that these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A filter device comprising: a tubular body, a plurality of axially elongated circumferentially spaced-apart fins projecting radially from at least a portion of said body, portions of said fins projecting axially beyond an end of said body, the spaces between the portions of said fins beyond the said body being open to the inner diameter of said fins, and means for attaching said body and said fins to a drain in operative relation therewith.

2. A lint filter comprising: a hollow elongated body portion, said body portion having a top and bottom end, a plurality of spaced-apart elongated continuous fins projecting from the outer surfaces of said body defining spaces therebetween, portions of said fins extending beyond the bottom of said body, the said portions defining an open interior area communicating with the hollow portion of the body, and the said fins terminating remote from the said bottom of the said body.

3. A lint filter comprising a tubular body portion, said body portion having an open top and an open bottom, a plurality of fins projecting rapidly from the outer surface of the body portion, said fins beginning intermediate the ends of the said body portion, the said fins projecting beyond the bottom of the said portion, the said fins defining spaces therebetween, the said said fins beyond the said body portion having an inner diameter defining an opening communicating with the opening of the body portion, and the said fins terminating remote from the bottom of the body portion in a series of stepped terraces reducing the outer diameter of the fins.

4. The line filter of claim 3 wherein the said fins increase in outer diameter from the point of initial projection to a point adjacent the bottom of the fins and then reduce their diameter through a series of angled steps.

5. The filter of claim 4 wherein the said filter is constructed of a fiexible plastic.

6. The filter of claim 5 wherein the flexible plastic is resilient.

7. The filter of claim 6 wherein the resilient plastic is selected from a group consisting of polyolefines, polyamides, polyimides and fiuorocarbons.

8. The filter device of claim 1 wherein the fins terminate in a series of stepped terraces and angled lands for fitting in different sized drain openings, with the lands tightly engaging the drain opening wall and the terraces seating on the entrance mouth of the drain opening.

9. The filter device of claim 1 wherein the fins terminate in stepped terraces and angled lands and with alternate fins having diiferent widths to provide concentric lands of different diameter so that the Wider fin ends may be contracted in a small drain opening receiving the narrower fin ends.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,509,305 9/1924 Mahon 2104 X 1,937,203 11/1933 Nash 210-460 X 2,392,656 1/1946 Foster 210478 X 2,907,466 10/1959 Beddow 210-463 X REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner R. W. BURKS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 2l0482 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (:ERTIFICATE 0F {1U ECTKUN Patent No. 3; 696,033 .Da ted' Tune 1., 1971 Inventor(s) DeFano, et, 31

It is certified ,that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 3, 1111 613- change line to lint- Col. 3, 1ine 35:} add fine after36, C01. 5; .line 141- change rapid'ly ro radially Col. 5, line 18 orhitt said; second occurance Signed and sealed this 10th day of July119-73.

Atte-st': I

EDWARD M'.FLET-CHE R',J R-. j Rene Tegtmeyer I Attes ting Officer Actlng Commissioner'of Patents F O RM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 6376-P59 '9 U5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 0-366-334 

